Bedtime Story
by gypsywriter135
Summary: When Nosedive needs comfort in the middle of the night, Wildwing tells him the same story he does every time.


So, apparently, I can only write good stories at 2 AM while listening to Yellowcard...

Because that's what happened last night, and I must say... I am quite proud of this. I don't really know where it came from, but it is something that I think shows a lot of our favorite duck brothers :)

Anyways, here it is :) Hope you enjoy is as much as I do!

Disclaimer: The "Mighty Ducks" are sadly still not mine...

**MDMDMDMDMD**

There was the sound of his door opening, and Wildwing groaned inwardly. He just couldn't get one minute to himself, not even in the middle of the night. Maybe if he just lay real still, slowed his breathing, and pretended he was asleep, then maybe whoever it was, they would go away and not bother him…

"Wing?"

Wildwing immediately opened his eyes and sat up slightly, spotting the blonde, messy headed Nosedive peering around the wall to where his bed was.

"Nosedive?"

Taking that as an invitation, the young duck walked around the corner, coming into Wildwing's full view. His little brother was wearing one of Wildwing's old hockey jerseys, a pair of boxers on, and socks on his feet. He stood there, rubbing his hand up and down his arm.

"What's wrong, little brother?" Wildwing asked, sitting up and moving over to make room for Nosedive. The teen quickly sat down next to him, not looking him in the eyes.

Nosedive was very quiet for a long time, but Wildwing didn't rush him. It was times like these where it was best not to push the younger mallard, but let him go at his own pace. He would speak when he was ready.

"Do you still think about them?"

Though most people would be caught completely off-guard by Nosedive's question, Wildwing was not. This had happened many times before. Wildwing put a comforting arm around his brother's shoulder's.

"Of course I do, Dive," he said softly. "Everyday."

Nosedive shook his head. "No, I mean, now that we're here… you know, on Earth…"

Wildwing nodded. "I think about them even though we're stuck here. I think about them everyday. I can't _not_ think about them."

Nosedive was silent again. "Do remember how you used to say that they were watching over us at home?"

Wildwing nodded.

"Do you think… that even though we're not at home anymore… that they can still see us?"

Wildwing had a sharp intake of breath. He had never thought of that before…

"I… I don't know, Dive…" he replied quietly. He stared at the wall for a while, then looked back at his brother. Nosedive was looking at him, patiently, but expectantly, waiting for an answer.

Wildwing though about it for a few minutes. He thought about it, and turned to Nosedive.

"I want the truth," Nosedive whispered, eyes wide.

Wildwing nodded. "I wasn't going to say anything but," he replied with a small smile. His face got serious again and he pulled Nosedive closer. "I don't think that they can watch over us," he told him. He heard Nosedive sigh. "But I _do_ think that they know where we are, and that if they really needed to, then they could get here, no matter what."

Nosedive leaned against the larger duck, fiddling with the bottom of his jersey, where it had started to fray slightly.

"Do you miss them?" he asked quietly.

Wildwing's grip on him tightened a little. He fought back tears that were coming to his eyes. "Yeah…" he said, just as quiet. His voice cracked slightly.

There was silence for a moment.

"I don't remember them, Wildwing," Nosedive whispered. "I only remember blurs and colors. The voices all run together and it just sounds like noise…"

"You're just like dad," Wildwing said. Nosedive looked at him, tears in his eyes as well. "Not only do you look like him, but you act like him, too. All that energy you have reminds me of how dad could skate around the rink faster and longer than any duck."

"And you look like… her…?"

Wildwing nodded again. "Yeah. She was tall and slender, kinda like you. I'm more built like dad, but mom was beautiful. She had long, white hair, that shined when the sun hit it. And her laugh… it was like bells. And when she and dad would laugh together, it sounded like music…"

Wildwing paused to wipe his eyes. Nosedive sniffed.

"… Anyways, the two of them were really happy. Dad was a skate's salesman, and mom was a nurse. She always wore pink scrubs to work. They had little flowers all over them. And when she came home, she always had lollipops for the two of us. And dad would come in right before dinner and scoop you up and throw you into the air. You would laugh, and then he would come over and kiss mom on the cheek, then put you in your height-chair. Then he would come over and ruffle my hair, sneaking me a new comic when mom wasn't looking…"

Wildwing paused again to steady his breath. Nosedive whimpered, and Wildwing held him closer.

"And then at dinner, dad would make funny faces, trying to get you to eat, and he would talk in funny voices to make me laugh. Mom was mad at first, but then she started too when dad held up a napkin and dragged her into it. And after dinner, mom would give you a bath and dad would sit with me and watch hockey on T.V. His favorite team was the Western Wigeons, because he liked the name. And then mom would come down, you in your footsie pajamas that she liked to put you in, and dad would take you and bounce you on your lap while mom went to the kitchen and made us all bowls of ice cream. Peach cobbler flavored, homemade, and she would always put an extra scoop in it for me.

"When she came back, she shared her bowl with you, while dad and I tried to see which one of us could eat it first. He always let me win by faking brain freeze, and then he would roll on the floor, clutching his head. I would climb on top of him and we would play spy. Mom would put you on the floor and you would crawl to us, and dad would pick you and put you on his shoulders, running around the house while I chased him. And then you would start to get tired, so all four of us would sit on the couch and watch a movie. When you fell asleep, mom would take you up to your room and put you in your crib, then come back down. She would lean up against dad and he would put his arm around her, while the other one went around me.

"After the movie, mom told me to take a shower. When I was done, I would walk downstairs, and see them share a quick kiss. Then mom would kiss me on the cheek, and dad would usher me up the steps and into bed. Sometimes, he would read me a story, sometimes we would just talk about what we thought you were going to be when you grew up. Either way, it always ended up with me falling asleep. And in the morning, all four of us were in their bed, squished tightly under the blankets. You were always able to climb out of your crib, and you were always between me and mom in the morning."

The two ducks were crying softly into each other now, Nosedive clutching his brother like his life depended on it.

After a long time, the two broke apart. Wildwing wiped his eyes, then turned to Nosedive, who smiled at him.

"You know, it almost sounds like were the poster family for the 'Wood Duck Weekly'," he said.

Wildwing chuckled.

"Yeah. Didn't you know that they were modeled after us?"

The two ducks smiled at each other.

"Thanks, Wing," Nosedive said, hugging his brother.

"Anytime, bro."

Nosedive stood up slowly, and hesitantly walked to the foot of his brother's bed. He looked at him again briefly.

"Ah, come here, feather-brain," Wildwing chuckled, watching as Nosedive's face brightened and he practically flew over the bed next to him.

Wildwing moved over, making room for the other duck as they lay down. As Nosedive cuddled into his chest, Wildwing made sure that the blanket was covering them both, then wrapped his arms around him.

"Wing?"

"Hmm?"

There was a pause. "You're the best big brother ever."

Wildwing smiled. "And you're the best little brother I've ever had."

Nosedive snorted, causing warm air to flow across his brother's chest. "I'm your only little brother."

Wildwing chuckled. "Ergo, my favorite."

"You are so weird, bro."

"Where do you think _you_ got it from?"

33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33

Duke sighed as he made his way back from the bathroom. He really needed to stop drinking coffee before bed. Not only did cause insomnia, but he had to go to the bathroom every hour.

He passed Nosedive's room and noticed the door was open. Curious, he snaked his head around, only to find the room empty. A little worried, he set off down the hall again, checking to see that the youngest member hadn't used the other bathroom while he had used the main one. This route took him right by Wildwing's room, which, he also noted, was opened a slight crack.

A little suspicious, he crept forward. It wasn't like their team leader to leave his door open in the middle of the night. But as he neared it, he heard the soft sound of voices, and then Nosedive's unmistakable laughter.

Realizing what had happened, Duke quickly and quietly crept back to his own room.

He would have to tell the others not to look for the teen in his room in the morning.

That was, if the two brothers ever went to sleep. Duke smirked at the thought. He doubted that they knew it was already five in the morning and practice was in three hours…

**MDMDMDMDMD**

... Review? Please?


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